Ahmed Ebrahim has a legal background - he was called to the bar in London in 1962 and was appointed to Zimbabwe's supreme court in 1990 having previously been director of public prosecutions. A self-professed sports fan, he served as chairman of a number of football disciplinary boards in Zimbabwe. His main interest remains cricket and he had almost four decades of cricket administration in Zimbabwe under his belt.

He was appointed as an ICC match referee in 1993. In 2001 in that capacity he banned Maurice Odumbe for two ODIs after the player had criticised umpiring. Three years later he handed Odumbe a five-year ban for his links with known bookmakers.

Ebrhaim managed to remain detached enough from the increasing politicisation of Zimbabwe cricket to retain his image as an independent spirit while staying as the board's vice-chairman. As a supreme-court judge he delivered some judgments which directly opposed the wishes of the government and despite pressure refused to stand down until his 65th birthday. In 2005 he was the figurehead in a bid to remove Peter Chingoka from office, but was outmaneuvered by the government. Chingoka remained in office while Ebrahim was sidelined and then too all intents and purposes shunned by the ICC. It was a sad end to a lifetime of commitment.

His son, Macsood, was a long-time staunch advocate of some of the more hardline policies of the board, but became disenchanted with Chingoka and joined his father in 2005. He, too, is no longer involved in the game.Trevor Sandalls

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